Mental Health in College Students

Her hands have a fine tremor as she opens the email regarding her admissions decision at a top university.  She lets out a shriek of happiness as “Congratulations, we would like to welcome you to our class of 2023” pops up in bright and flashing colors.  Ecstatic with the culmination of years of studies and hopes, she calls her whole family, all of her friends, and begins to celebrate this success. A couple of months later, she finds herself alone in her new dorm room.  From the moment her parents drop her off, she begins feeling sad and alone, things she has never felt before. For many, these feelings last for months and typically get worse. How could one go from being so overjoyed about going away to college, to being so deeply upset?  The answer lies in the conceptualization of mental illness. Transitioning into college can be a complex time for many young adults, as the intense course load and increasing amounts of independence brought on by the new environments often result in forms of mental illness. Although it is impossible to completely end the mental illness epidemic in college students, there are many things that can be done to help the problem.

Perhaps the first shock of college (and there can be many) is the intense workload.  Young adults have high academic demands in college. In high school, a typical course load consists of 4 core classes (math, science, history, and English), a foreign language, a gym class, and an art/music/other elective class.  Each class is pretty straight forward, with the exception of a few Advanced Placement and honors classes. For the vast majority of students, this is a very manageable course load. “Senioritis” is the official diagnosis of second-semester high school seniors who have very little drive to complete the light work they are given.  Only a few short months later, those same students enter college. They are taking at least four demanding classes, each of which require much more work and are of greater difficulty. Such a workload requires many hours each week to be spent in the library, limiting the amount of necessary sleep and socializing. Sharing the experience with peers, as well as a good night’s sleep, are both important stress management strategies, yet these are compromised.  Furthermore, despite putting in the appropriate amount of effort, many still struggle to receive high grades. Students are facing relative “failure” for the first time in their lives. One’s mental health can ultimately be put at risk.

The previously described transitional issue can adversely affect mental health.  To begin, frustration with the unprecedented academic challenge can lead to anxiety and/or depression.  For the most part, students strive to achieve high grades. Unfortunately, it is much more difficult to achieve the highest grades in college.  The idea that one can try so hard and still not get ‘straight-A’s’ can be stressful. Seventy-five percent of students reported an increase in stress in college due to school work (Ross).  The stress of failure, mixed with the normal amount of stress brought on to finish assignments, can have detrimental effects on mental health.

Sleep and socialization are sacrificed to give more time for school work, but this loss leads to more problems.  For example, when one spends a large portion of time isolated in the library doing homework, less social interactions occur.  The root of depression is often regarded to be isolation (Sanders). When so much time is devoted to schoolwork, one begins to think about only school work, creating a dark and toxic place in one’s mind.  Additionally, sleep is often sacrificed for good grades. Sleep is the primary source of a healthy mind. In the article published by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, it is stated that “research shows that a chronic lack of sleep, or getting poor quality sleep, increases the risk of disorders including depression” (“Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep”).  Sleep deprivation may make the brain more susceptible to stress and negativity. Depression is likely to follow.

Another way a rigorous course load can impact mental health is with the use of stimulant drugs.  Desperation and frustration with the academic load, combined with the experimentation of youth, may result in the use of stimulants.  Caffeine may be used to excess, and prescription drugs, such as Adderall, may be used inappropriately When not monitored by a health professional, these drugs can lead to addiction and reliance.  The “disease-pill” model arises (Gregg). Such model refers to the over-prescription of Adderall to people who may not actually qualify as a recipient. Recent research shows that there are countless cases of students wrongfully becoming reliant on Adderall (Gregg).  Anxiety about test performance may lead students to these medications. In the end, those who sought the drugs from feelings of despair and failure may find themselves battling reliance, anxiety, and depression to a greater degree.

Another transitional issue resides in the increasing amounts of independence one gains when going away to college.  This is often the first time these young adults have had such great amounts of independence. There are no parents living under the same roof, and there is less guidance or supervision.  With such independence comes responsibility and vulnerability for one’s actions. For many, making mistakes are inevitable at this point. A student may feel the need to “test the waters” and experiment with things they potentially couldn’t or weren’t allowed to do when living at home.  Although these experiences can be good for learning more about one’s own limits, this information comes at a price. The student may face charges again the school or state, due to inappropriate behavior resulting from excessive independence. They also may face the consequences of bad decisions (injury or illness).  Additionally, the absence of parental guidance means the student may not participate in fulfilling activities, such as sports or clubs, and no one will encourage the student to obtain medical help when needed. Despite an outward show of independence, there is a real risk of actually being lonely. Loneliness is closely linked to mental illness.

Excessive independence is also related to mental illness.  While some students thrive on the intense socialization of living in a college dorm, it is easy for an individual to get lost in the crowd.  Increasing amounts of independence can cause extreme loneliness, which often leads to depression. According to a write-up from a widespread study conducted in 2013 by the American Journal of Health Promotion about mental health in college students,  “socializing partially mediated the relationship between mental health, and perceived stress” (VanKim).  Interacting with others is shown to offset the detrimental impacts of stress on mental health.  No one is monitoring a new college student, and it is possible for someone to become completely isolated due to lack of meaningful activities and lack of true friendships.

Additionally, for the first time in their life, students now have complete freedom to do anything or nothing.  A lack of meaningful activities can affect mental health. According to an article published by the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal focusing on the types of mental health issues young adults tend to have, “ for some young adults, work is critical to rehabilitation outcomes that are psychological, and social, for example, self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-image.  [This] supports the central role of having meaningful and productive life activities, such as work and school, for the well-being of youth and young adults with psychiatric disabilities” (Davis). Participating in activities that are not contributing to one’s happiness, appear to be directly linked to mental illness. Sadness and depression arise. If there are signs of mental illness, it is more likely that nobody will push one to seek help.

The unexplored environments also bring up additional issues when transitioning into college.  Upon entering college, the student is faced with completely new people, new environments, and new challenges.  A lack of familiarity with people and places may raise a feeling of anxiety or loneliness. New situations will arise, and a young adult may not be able to handle all of them well.  One example of a new environment is a college party. The widespread culture of drinking, especially, can require a very big adjustment. There is an emphasis placed on going out to parties and participating in the drinking culture.  Many, unfortunately, fall into this culture and participate in alcohol consumption. A portion of those students takes it too far. According to previously conducted studies, “Over 30 percent of [college] students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for alcohol dependence in the past 12 months” (Henriques).  These statistics are incredible since the majority of college students are not old enough to drink legally.  Alcohol is a nervous system depressant but is often used to make one feel happier temporarily. If a new college student finds much joy in this temporary happiness brought on by alcohol, more series issues develop (specifically having to do with mental health).  

New environments and situations will impact mental health.  Participation in the college partying culture exposes immature minds to alcohol and drugs.  New students may not be prepared for these issues: “college students were significantly less likely to receive past-year treatment for alcohol or drug use disorders” (Blanco).  Those who are suffering from substance problems are not likely to seek help. This leads the issues to just get worse, with the potential for dependency and abuse.

The challenges facing new students are more than just the obvious; another new environment is the dining hall.  Often times, the food on college campuses is less than fantastic. The food is different and can make students miss home more.  As a result, some don’t eat or eat lesser amounts than they should. Fasting can compromise the ability to deal with stress, both physical and mental.  In extreme cases, eating disorders may surface. These new environments and new challenges can bring up transitional issues, many of which are associated with poor mental health.

Beyond drugs and alcohol, college students are susceptible to acquire an eating disorder while at school, as the dining halls are a new (and often disliked) environment.  According to a study conducted by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) in 2006, “nearly 20 percent of the more than 1,000 college students surveyed – both male and female – said they had or previously had eating disorders” (Gregg).  This statistic is huge and leads many to ponder upon potential variables that influence the number of eating disorders. Limited access to tasty food may correspond to eating disorders in college students, especially since there is no parental figure to help the victim out.  Over time, these new eating habits can turn into eating disorders, another mental illness.

There are things that can be done to decrease the impact these transitional issues have on mental health.  For example, an online blogger who goes by the name “teacherhendrox” suggests that schools require a course that all first-year students have to take regarding the introduction to college.  In this class, the students are to be taught the basics of how to survive the first year of college with ease. They are to be provided with knowledge regarding the college system, how to play the system correctly, how to manage the workload, and much more (“What’s a Class Called ‘Introduction to the College Experience’ About?”).  A class of this type is shown to help lessen the common difficulties first-year students experience.  Perhaps, when the transitional issues are reduced, mental illness is less likely to develop.

Another way to help prevent the mental illnesses of first-year college students is to have widely broadcasted and supported counselors on campus.  When it is easy to access to a counselor, more students are motivated to go and talk to someone. However, the broadcasting of these counselors must be done properly to remind students that it is most certainly not a negative thing to attend.  If possible, small awards could be given to the students who go to get self-help. The National Alliance on Mental Illness suggests that at counseling, students can be taught how to monitor their symptoms, maintain healthy habits, reduce academic-induced stress, and avoid pressures to use alcohol and drugs (“Managing A Mental Health Condition in College”).  In general, teaching students about mental health would be beneficial. Several schools have very limited mental health resources on campus, as it requires more money to be put in.  According to professionals, “schools do not have enough qualified staff members to work as part of mental health teams” (Mantel).  Budget cuts result in the loss of these resources.  This is not okay. Mental health is clearly such a significant issue and in college students; therefore, there must be available resources.

When looking for a more cost-efficient solution to the mental health epidemic in college students, professionals should keep a positive image around the campus.  In other words, college campuses shouldn’t hide the fact that mental illness is prevalent. With knowledge and awareness comes support. Hanging up/posting positive posters, emailing students regarding counseling center events, and maybe even passing out happy reminders, are all proactive developments.  

It becomes clear that college students are very prone to mental illnesses, especially during their first year away from home.  The transitions into difficult classes, new environments, and excessive independence often result in mental health defects. Luckily, there are things everyone can be doing to hinder the impacts.  Hopefully in the future, the public can be educated on the severity of mental health issues in America, especially in college students. If not, this epidemic will continue to get worse and worse.

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